Edged tool restorations

Beauty I drove past the old Collins axe factory in Collinsville CT yesterday by coincidence. I'd love to find one someday at a yard sale needing restoration.

 

This one was an eBay purchase. Started with a cutoff handle and red paint job.

 

I found a little time today to put some work into my pitted plumb Michigan pattern. As usual, I forgot to take any pictures before I cleaned it up. The poll was a little dinged, but not nearly as bad as a lot of the older heads that I run across. The pits are deep enough that I elected to leave them. I did put some effort into the bit, and I gun blued it all for a more uniform look. The handle is a 32” New England pattern from Whisky River. It has a really tall shoulder. I decided to seat the head way down because I think it looks better that way. The whole deal from top of head to bottom of handle, all hung, is 30”. I think it will be a very nimble axe to swing. Here is my progress so far:

 

Looking good!

I was just talking about using gun blue on a head the other day and wondered how it would look.

Question answered!! Ill have to get some to try now.

 

I think it helps even out the patina, especially where I had to do some grinding to clean up some dings. When I put the final sharp on it, I usually leave the bit shiny. I sanded the handle down and trimmed the fawns foot. It is a really comfortable handle. I put a second coat of boiled linseed oil on last night. I will try to remember to snap a picture when I give it another coat tonight.

 

I put the 4th coat on tonight.

 

The itch for a new project axe was scratched yesterday. My wife and I headed a half hour south to have breakfast and kick around in some different scenery. We hit up a guy selling off his 60 years of collecting. She found some cool vintage clothes and I made a deal on 4 axes. I got a True Temper FSS Pulaski to rehab and put back to work. I think that I can rehang it in its original handle. There is a Collin’s double bit that I think is a Puget sound pattern, but maybe not. It is a little rough, but it was marked Forest Service on the back and was different enough to catch my eye. Its handle is junk and has what looks like a giant galvanized staple for a wedge. I got a True Temper flint edge Kelly Works western pattern double bit in decent shape with a junk handle. The real find, I think, was a Plumb Champion double bit. It has a tightly fit original handle with a bow in it. The etching on the head is in great shape. I had to pay up for that one, but I have looked hard enough around here to know how rare that find is. I will probably sharpen it and keep it as is for now. I will try to remember to take some pictures to post later when I am out in the workshop.

 

Here is the pulaski. When I finally got the steel wedge out and popped the head off, there was a crack on one side of the part that goes into the eye. I may still try to hang it in the original handle and see how it goes. I do have a new house handle for a Pulaski kicking around from the last time that I rehabbed trail tools.

 

Here is the Collin’s double bit. I don’t know if it is a true puget sound pattern. It isn’t 14” from bit to bit and it was on a 36” handle. I took a picture of the big galvanized staple that they used for a wedge. It was probably all that was handy. This one will need the most cleaning up, but it is unique to me.

 

Next up is the True Temper 3 line western pattern. It has 6 eye ridges. I will have to look up the significance of that. I am excited to tune this one up and find a really nice handle for it. It had about 1 full roll of reinforced packing tape on the handle. That reminded me of my grandpa. He was a former rural mail carrier and used the heck out of the reinforced packing tape.

 

And last, but not least, in my opinion. The Plumb Champion with the bowed handle. After looking further, I don’t think that this is the original handle. The fit is a little open at the front and back of the eye and the wedge is really thin. It is definitely an older handle, though.

 

Here is the Plumb Michigan pattern single that I finished a couple of weeks ago. It got a fancy little sheath from Whisky river trading.

 

Really like those old engraved heads. Came from a time when such implements were absolute necessities of life. Makers took great pride in their products. We see a few different maker's engraved heads around here in the PNW but prices are usually way to high. Great find!